A Hong Kong activist who was attacked by seven police officers during mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014 was jailed yesterday after he dropped an appeal bid.
Ken Tsang Kin-chiu (曾健超) was found guilty last year of assaulting and resisting officers during the “Umbrella movement” protests which brought parts of the territory to a standstill for more than two months.
The incident happened on the same night that Tsang was later beaten and kicked by a group of police officers in a park — an assault that was captured by local TV cameras and beamed around the world, denting the image of the territory’s police force.
Seven officers were jailed for two years in February for assault causing actual bodily harm, but were acquitted of a more serious charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.
Tsang himself had already been sentenced to five weeks in prison in May last year after being found guilty of splashing liquid on police officers during the street rallies.
He immediately appealed and was bailed, but yesterday he dropped the appeal bid.
“After today’s legal proceedings are over, I will immediately serve my sentence,” Tsang, 41, told reporters and about 20 supporters outside the Hong Kong High Court.
“I understand that some things I did that night may not be tolerated by the law. I need to take responsibility for my actions,” he added, saying that the liquid he splashed on police officers was water.
Police have been criticized for their sometimes heavy-handed treatment of protesters during the Umbrella movement’s mainly peaceful 79 days of rallies and street blockades.
The demonstrators were seeking fully free elections for semi-autonomous territory’s leaders.
The judge who jailed the seven police officers who attacked Tsang described their assault as “vicious” and said it had damaged the territory’s reputation, but tens of thousands of people gathered to show their support for the jailed officers following their sentencing last month.
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